The Jam Fruit TreeWinner of the Gratiean Memorial Prize for the best work in English Literature by a Sri Lankan for 1993 Hilarious, affectionate, candid and moving, this is the story of the Burghers of Sri Lanka... Who are the Burghers? Descended from the Dutch, the Portuguese, the British and other foreigners who arrived in the island-nation of Sri Lanka (and 'mingled' with the local inhabitants), the Burghers often stand out because of their curiously mixed features-grey eyes in an otherwise Dravid face, for instance.... A handsome and guileless people, the Burghers have always lived it up, forever willing to 'put a party'. Carl Muller, a Burgher himself, writes in this quasi-fictional, engaging biography of the lives of his people; they emerge, at the end of his story, as a race of fun-loving, hardy people, much like the jam fruit tree which simply refuses to be contained or destroyed. |
From inside the book
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Page 31
... Totoboy tried to drag Iris away , and Babyboy Nathanielsz punched Miko Sampson in the throat and Pippie Nellie threw glasses at the fishtank . Soon everybody was hitting everybody else and ladies raised their skirts and fled shrieking ...
... Totoboy tried to drag Iris away , and Babyboy Nathanielsz punched Miko Sampson in the throat and Pippie Nellie threw glasses at the fishtank . Soon everybody was hitting everybody else and ladies raised their skirts and fled shrieking ...
Page 79
... Totoboy gave a series of banshee wails . Those on the outskirts who had not been privy to Totoboy's disappearing act , heard the hollow trumpeting and said , ' My God , men , what is that ? ' ' Someone screaming from inside grave ...
... Totoboy gave a series of banshee wails . Those on the outskirts who had not been privy to Totoboy's disappearing act , heard the hollow trumpeting and said , ' My God , men , what is that ? ' ' Someone screaming from inside grave ...
Page 111
... Totoboy that they either get married right away and move out of range of his lunatic brother or he was never to look her in the eye again . So Totoboy went , quite inebriated , to the altar and Sonnaboy scowled and said she already had ...
... Totoboy that they either get married right away and move out of range of his lunatic brother or he was never to look her in the eye again . So Totoboy went , quite inebriated , to the altar and Sonnaboy scowled and said she already had ...
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Common terms and phrases
Anna baby beef Beryl bloody Bloss bottle bring British brothers brought buggers Burgher cake called Carloboy carried Cecilprins child Christmas church Colombo Colontota coming considered course court daughter door drink eggs Elaine Elsie Elva Eric everything eyes face Father fellow Florrie fruit gate gave George getting girl give hand head Iris keep kitchen knew lady Lane Leah legs letter listen live look Lord Mama manner marry Maudiegirl months morning mother moved never never mind nice night nodded Opel Papa poor railway road shouting Sinhalese Sonnaboy sort sure talk tell thing thought told took Totoboy tree turned Viva wait wedding whole wife woman write